Founded in 1924, as the first ever international school, Ecolint has been proudly educating for a better world ever since. Find out more about our pedagogical mission, our campuses, or even how to apply to join our staff!

At Ecolint, every child’s learning is individually designed around his or her specific needs. Our talented educators identify what every child needs to flourish academically. Our different educational programmes prepare students for higher education and beyond. Ecolint’s world-class examination results are testament to our individualised learning approach and academic excellence

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Ecolint is governed by a largely elected Board, responsible for long-term strategy and stewardship of the Foundation. Its day-to-day management is assured by the Director General - appointed by the Governing Board - and the Conférence des Directeurs. Find out more here!

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Appointment of the new Director General

3rd March 2017

The Governing Board of the International School of Geneva (Ecolint) is very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr David Hawley as Director General to succeed Mrs Vicky Tuck who retires in August 2017.

Dr Hawley is currently Chief Academic Officer at the International Baccalaureate (IB) organisation based in The Hague. In this role, he is responsible for providing strategic direction for the IB’s educational philosophy, leadership of the academic team for all IB programmes and for ensuring the constant renewal of the educational vision of the IB which now serves more than 1.5 million students in over 150 countries. Prior to taking up his post at the IB in 2015, for nearly a decade, Dr Hawley was Head of Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Canada. This school gathered students from over 100 countries with the explicit mission to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

Dr Hawley began his career as a science teacher in Guatemala and Venezuela. He then held several leadership roles internationally, first as Principal at Lincoln School in Costa Rica, followed by five years as Principal at Frankfurt International School in Germany. Dr Hawley served as Head of Atlanta International School for ten years, a pioneering school in bilingual and dual language education. In his career in education, Dr Hawley has had hands-on experience with the IB, Advanced Placement program (AP), the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), French, German and Spanish Ministry requirements and a deep background in experiential and expeditionary learning.

Dr Hawley is a Canadian and US national who loves the outdoors and adventures, for example, he has cycled coast to coast across Canada twice. After graduating from Framingham State University with a degree in Biology and Earth Sciences, he subsequently pursued his studies at Harvard University Graduate School of Education, earning a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology and a Doctorate in Administration, Planning and Social Policy.

Dr Hawley is married to Dr Leisa Weld, a statistician in the field of global health and international travel medicine. They have two multilingual young adult children who grew up in international schools: Sophie, a Grammy nominated musician and co-founder of the music duo Sofi Tukker; and Nico, a mechanical and biological engineer who is part of Edenworks, a start-up firm designing, building and operating aquaponic farms in urban environments.

The Search Committee of the Governing Board worked with recruitment consultants Perrett Laver on this vital appointment. There were twenty-eight qualified applicants for the position and the Search Committee longlisted seven candidates three of whom were invited to the School for a probing and comprehensive recruitment process which involved meetings with representative staff, students and parents, the Foundation’s leadership team and the Governing Board. Each candidate underwent a psychometric assessment and at the end of the four day process, made a formal presentation to the Governing Board. The Governing Board was impressed by Dr Hawley’s extensive and relevant leadership experience, inspiring educational philosophy and strong personal alignment to Ecolint’s mission and values. The Governing Board is looking forward to working with Dr Hawley to lead successfully the next chapter in Ecolint’s history.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr Hawley said: “I am at once full of joy and humility at the prospect of becoming a member of the Ecolint community and the place that gave birth to international education. So much has been accomplished by so many talented educators and students at Ecolint past and present. But we know the challenges and opportunities ahead are just as critical and full of potential as they were in 1924. I am drawn powerfully to Ecolint’s unapologetic commitment to education for peace built upon humanitarian values of inclusiveness, respect and intercultural understanding. I can hardly wait to be a part of the ongoing pursuit of this mission.”

Vicky Tuck commented: “I am extremely pleased that the Governing Board has chosen Dr Hawley as the next Director General and am looking forward to ensuring a smooth and comprehensive handover in the coming weeks. I am sure that Dr Hawley will enjoy this fascinating role and living in Geneva as much as I have.”

On behalf of the Governing Board I also wish to express our deep appreciation to Vicky Tuck for her extraordinary leadership and commitment to Ecolint over the last 6 years.